recipe

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THIS WARM SALAD—chickpeas with cucumbers as a garnish—makes such a tasty one-dish supper. The next day, when I often seem to have more cucumbers than chickpeas left over, I reverse the balance: cucumbers with a little chickpea garnish makes a fantastic lunch.

PART OF WHAT I LOVE ABOUT THE MEDITERRANEAN DIET is how varied it is—you never get bored. This many-flavored cooking isn’t surprising really—the Mediterranean Sea reaches the shores of more than 15 countries, and each culture brings its own flair and flavors—from tagines to taboulleh, ratatouille to risottos—to the basic ingredients of the traditional Mediterranean way of eating.

~Wine with meals (in moderation—one or two glasses for men, one for women), unless it puts you at risk, of course

Choose Your Favorite Flavor. What’s interesting is that, traveling beyond the shores of the Mediterranean, you can find inspiration for even more meals made with these building blocks of the traditional healthy Mediterranean diet. The other day, I couldn’t resist a recipe for “Chickpea Curry and Cucumber,” from Meeru Dhalwala and Vikram Vij, chef/owners of Vij’s (“easily among the finest Indian restaurants in the world,” writes Mark Bittman) and Rangoli restaurants in Vancouver. A friend in Montreal gave me her extra copy of one of their cookbooks, Vij’s at Home—lucky me. The subtitle, “Relax, Honey: The Warmth and Ease of Indian Cooking” says everything about its approach.

A Familiar Ingredients List. It struck me right away how many characteristics this recipe for a “warm salad” shared with so many in the Mediterranean diet: It’s a one-dish meal of beans and vegetables—warm chickpeas with tomatoes, with the lovely contrast of cool cucumbers.

These are all made irresistible with the big flavors of various spices and herbs—ginger, peppers, cilantro—and citrus. Since I usually cook with extra-virgin olive oil, I just went ahead and used it in this dish, too. (The first time I made this, I couldn’t find mango powder but that problem was solved by a visit to Kalustyan’s, whose selection of fresh spices is hard to beat.)

It’s great to discover another take on chickpeas-as-a-meal: This will definitely become a regular on our table—it’s simple and quick to make on a work night. So for anyone who’s interested in the health benefits of the Mediterranean diet and loves Indian flavors, the basic ingredients above are endlessly adaptable.

I BECAME A KALE FAN JUST A FEW YEARS AGO when my friend Brenda made an amazing kale and roasted chicken recipe for a dinner party. But since today is Monday—Meatless Monday—that recipe will just have to wait. Instead, how about this amazing stew of kale and white beans, adapted from a recipe by Chef Dan Barber, of Blue Hill and Blue Hill at Stone Barns? Not only is it a delicious mix of tastes and textures, but it’s positively overflowing with goodness.

Kale is one of those superfoods. “Move over Popeye and make room for the ‘queen of greens,’ kale,” advises WebMD: One cup of kale has 5 grams of fiber, we learn, 15% of the daily requirement of calcium and vitamin B6, 40% of the magnesium requirement, 180% of vitamin A, 200% of vitamin C and 1,020% of vitamin K. (Too much vitamin K isn’t good for everyone. Anyone taking anticoagulants, for instance, is advised to avoid kale.) Kale is also a good source of minerals. Check out the whole list of nutrients here. Choose organic kale, when you can, because conventionally grown has been found to have pesticide residues of particular concern.

Serve this stew with crusty bread for a wonderful light supper. Leftovers are great for lunch, too.

I GOT A JUMPSTART ON MEATLESS MONDAY this weekend when my friend made the most delicious Mediterranean farro salad as we all lazed about taking in the spring sunshine. As some of you surely know by now, I’m a big fan of this ancient grain; farro has a wonderful nutty flavor and a satisfying bite. So I’m always happy to expand my repertoire of dishes to make with it, and I think you will be, too.

This is a very flexible recipe: Substitute asparagus for the beans (cut the spears into 3-inch pieces and cook in boiling water for 3 to 5 minutes) or use yellow peppers instead of red. Replace chives with a thinly chopped scallion or two, or some red onion. And, of course, what could be better than doubling the recipe for a family picnic or potluck this summer? Happy Meatless Monday. And thank you Pam.

Pamela Ferrari’s Farro Salad

Serves 4–6, as side salad or light lunch1½ cups semi-pearled or pearled farro1 red pepper, sliced into thin strips½ lb green beans or haricot verts½ cup pitted black olives1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese1 small bunch chives, chopped, or half a small red onion, sliced thinly¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil¼ cup sherry vinegar2 tsp Dijon mustard½ tsp salt, or to tasteGround black pepper, to tasteBring a medium saucepan of salted water to the boil. Add farro and boil gently, uncovered, for about 20 minutes, until al dente. Drain and put in a large serving bowl to cool. *Cook green beans in boiling salted water for 2 minutes, or until just tender. Drain and transfer briefly to a bowl of iced water to stop the cooking. Drain again and pat dry.Once the farro is cool, combine the beans, olives (slice them if they’re big, or leave whole if you use tiny ones, like Niçoise), red pepper, Parmesan and chives or red onions with the farro.In a small bowl, whisk together the sherry vinegar, olive oil, mustard, pepper and salt.Pour the dressing over the salad, toss and serve.* In a rush? Cool the farro more quickly by spreading it out on a cookie sheet.

TODAY I’M GOING TO PRETEND I’M IN NICE at La Zucca Magica, not in New York City with Snow Blizzard Nemo happening outside my window. It’s citrus season—hooray!— and a bowl of beautiful oranges makes my fantasy almost seem real. And I mean fantasy: I’ve never actually been to La Zucca Magica, but I take Mark Bittman’s word that it is a marvelous place to be—a vegetarian restaurant whose dishes are never ascetic or meager, with the produce bounty of Provence at its doorstep. What I do know is that, thanks to Bittman and La Zucca, I regularly eat an appetizer of orange slices and tapenade that he discovered there. I’m sharing it with you now so that you, too, can ignore the snowpocalypse outside your window and delight in orange season.

Top-quality ingredients are key here—as they are in many simple Mediterranean dishes that are more combinations of ingredients than complicated recipes.

I make this dish super-simple by using a ready-made tapenade from Moulins de la Brague in Opio, a village near Grasse in Provence. No, unfortunately I wasn’t able to drop in to the Moulin to pick up a jar; I purchased it at Fairway.

The Moulin is a seventh generation family business, run by the Michel family, and it seems to be a little magical itself, combining a respect for tradition with modernization—so often the case with old artisanal businesses that survive and thrive. Most of the olives grown in their orchards are Cailletier, a cultivar often called Niçoise, although that, I’m told, refers strictly speaking to the curing method typical of Nice. The tapenade is made the traditional way, with just mashed olives, olive oil, salt, capers and anchovy.

I always use my best extra-virgin olive oil for this recipe. Today, I’m lucky to have some Frankies 457 Spuntino Olio Nuovo, the first pressing of the 2012 harvest—grassy green and deliciously pungent. It’s made from organically grown Nocellara del Belice olives in the DOP (protected origin) Valle del Belice in Sicily. How nice that restaurateurs Frank Falcinelli and Frank Castronovo visit Sicily each year to oversee production and bring back the olive oil to Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn, just for you and me.

Now for the recipe...

Serves 43 or 4 juicy navel oranges (depending on their size)—enough for 12 slices4 tbs tapenadeExtra-virgin olive oil for drizzlingFennel seeds for garnishCut each end off orange. Set it on end, and with a sharp knife, remove peel and pith in a curving downward motion.Cut the orange in thin rounds and place three slices on each plate.Drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil.On each plate, spoon 1 tbs tapenade in one dollop on the oranges.Sprinkle with fennel seeds.

ORANGES, RADISHES AND RED ONION make a lovely salad on their own; Moroccan, Tunisian and Egyptian cooking all have tasty examples. For this meal, I decided to add fennel, for a welcome crunch—and because there it was, at the market. The dressing is an orange citronette (using orange juice as the acid, instead of lemon or vinegar). To prepare the orange segments, cut off each end of the orange, stand it on end and, using a sharp knife, cut downward in an arc, taking the pith and peel off. Finally, separate each segment from the membrane. (Here’s a handy video from Food52 if you’d like a demo.)

Serves 62 fennel bulbs, halved, cored, then very thinly sliced to create crescent shapes2 oranges, peeled and in segments, membranes removed 4 radishes, thinly sliced (a mandoline makes this easy)1/2 small red onion, halved, then very thinly slicedHandful of mint leaves For the citronette:Zest and juice of one orange¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil2 tsp Dijon mustardSea saltFreshly ground black pepperCombine fennel, orange segments, radishes and onion in a bowl.In a separate bowl, combine the orange zest and juice with the mustard, then whisk in the olive oil. Add salt and pepper to taste.Pour citronette into the bowl with the fennel combo, add mint leaves and toss gently.

I’VE COME ACROSS MANY DIFFERENT VERSIONS of Tunisian and Moroccan carrot salads. Some are made with julienned raw carrots, often with raisins added. This one, though, is made with cooked carrots, which are tossed with a spicy citronette at the end. (Tunisian carrot salad is sometimes garnished with hard-boiled eggs and olives, a version that would make a great light lunch on its own.) A good harissa (hot chili sauce), made at Les Moulins Mahjoub in Tunisia, is available at Le Pain Quotidien.

Serves 4, as side dish1 lb carrots, peeled and cut into thin (1/4-inch) angled slices2-3 tbs lemon juice (depending how lemony you want it)½ tsp ground cumin¼ tsp ground cinnamon1/8 tsp cayenne (or more, to taste) 1/8 tsp harissa4 tbs extra-virgin olive oilHandful of flat-leaf parlsey, choppedSea saltFreshly ground black pepperBoil a medium saucepan of salted water and cook the carrot slices for 5 to 6 minutes. Don’t let them get mushy.While the carrots are cooking, whisk together the lemon juice, spices, harissa and extra-virgin olive oil in a small bowl.Drain carrots, let cool a little and place in a bowl.Add the citronette to the carrots and the parsley and toss gently. Let stand for 10 minutes or so, so that the flavors combine.Add salt and pepper to taste.

I will never forget the first time I ate monkfish. We were on the road somewhere in southern France—on the outskirts of Orange, I think, in the Vaucluse—and we stopped at a bistro for dinner. On the menu, under Poisson, was something called lotte. “What is this lotte?” I inquired. “Une espèce de poisson,” was the reply (“a type of fish”), which was about as helpful as when I had asked—this time in bilingual Montréal—“what is the soupe du jour?” and the answer came back: “the soup of the day.” Really? I’d been hoping for a few more details. For starters, was lotte an ocean fish, from the Mediterranean, a lake, a stream? Was it mackerel cousin or might-as-well-be-Dover-sole? Anyway, I decided to take a leap of faith, and it turned out to be delicious. I’ve eaten it more than a few times since, especially enjoying it in Mediterranean soups and stews.

This time around, thanks to Bianca and Mark at Mermaid’s Garden, I learn quite a bit more about the fish itself. As they wrote in their e-mail:

“There are a lot of interesting things about Lophius americanus, but perhaps the most curious thing about this fish is what and how it eats. Recently we got an email telling us about a monkfish that was caught with seven ducks in its belly! We passed the news along to a fisherman friend of ours on the Cape, who said, “A monkfish tried to eat my leg once. Did some good damage to my boots.” Turns out that monkfish will eat just about anything they can fit into their gigantic mouths, which may be why another common name for the fish is devilfish. Monkfish are anglers, which means they catch their prey using a lure called an esca that is attached to the top of the fish’s head. Anything that touches the esca triggers an automatic reflex of the monkfish’s jaw. Monkfish like their dinner to come to them, so they mostly spend their time buried into the sea floor or “walking” slowly along it on their sturdy pectoral fins.”

I also learn from them that in the late 1990s, monkfish populations had become overfished. “This fact, combined with the fact that most monkfish are caught in trawls, which can harm the ocean floor, led to monkfish being an unsustainable choice.” However, today, “monkfish populations exceed target levels, and both trawl and gill net fishermen employ quite a few mechanisms to reduce bycatch.”

My particular monkfish was gill netted off Montauk on the F/V Sea Devil—pretty funny, considering the fish’s nickname—“by a fisherman who refers to himself as Billy the Kid. Known to others simply as ‘the kid.’ (We are not making this up, Mark and Bianca write, “pinky swear.”)

Monkfish may be one of the ugliest fish in the sea, but its taste redeems it: fresh, slightly sweet, with a firm texture, it’s been called “poor man’s lobster.” And it’s full of goodness: niacin, vitamins B6 and B12, potassium, as well as being very good source of selenium. It has a gray membrane surrounding the flesh, which your fishmonger can remove, or you can do it yourself (with the help of this video—start at minute 3:10).

How to Cook It? Knowing that Mediterranean cuisines like to use monkfish, I start browsing my cookbooks and the web, looking for recipes. I find monkfish couscous, roasted monkfish with tomatoes and olives, Andalusian monkfish ragout. Jamie Oliver has what looks like a delicious grilled or roasted monkfish with black olive sauce and lemon mash, just the kind of full-of-Mediterranean-flavors dish I like. Sara Jenkins’s Olives and Oranges, includes a monkfish dish with her wintertime take on Sicilian caponata, made from olives, potatoes and sun-dried tomatoes. I made this the last time we had monkfish, and I’d be happy to eat it again, but I’m in the mood to be adventurous. Mark Usewicz, the chef behind Mermaid’s Garden (Bianca’s a marine biologist) has posted a couple of delicious sounding recipes on Mermaid’s Garden’s Facebook page: Mark’s Monkfish with Clams and Cranberry Beans and Mark’s Fish in Mustard Curry. (I noticed this week that Dave Pasternack’s Il Pesce, Eataly’s fish restaurant, has a monkfish/clam combo on its menu right now, too: Crispy Monkfish Cheeks with Local Clams, Steamers and Meyer Lemon Aioli. The cheeks are quite small and a prized delicacy, I hear.)

To tell you the truth, these dishes all sound good, making it hard to choose. In the end, though, to take advantage of how super, super fresh I know this fish will be, I decide on Monkfish “Carpaccio,” from Patricia Wells At Home in Provence. The recipe is beyond simple: thinly sliced monkfish, which is then grilled for less than a minute, with only olive oil, lemon juice, chives and sea salt added. I like the idea of the sweet flesh of the fish taking center stage. To accompany it, I’ll make a simple green salad, and I have the perfect bottle of Muscadet Sèvre et Maine, from Domaine de la Pinardière, chilling in the fridge. Crisp, clean tastes all around.

AT OUR HOUSE, WE CALL THIS DISH Christopher’s Beet Salad, because of how the recipe came to us. Golden beets work really beautifully, too, says Chris.

Serves 45 medium beetswild arugula and frisée greens¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling2 tbs balsamic vinegarsalt, pepper4 oz goat cheeseScrub the beets and boil whole until tender (45 minutes to an hour). Remove from water and let cool.In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil and vinegar, adding salt and pepper to taste. Combine about four handfuls of wild arugula and frisée in another bowl, dress with the vinaigrette and toss gently.When the beets are cool, peel and, using a mandoline, slice them into thin rounds. Arrange in circles in one layer on four salad plates.Drizzle a little extra-virgin olive oil over the beets. In the center of each plate, pile a small handful of the arugula/frisée mix.Top with a slice of goat cheese (browned under the grill if you like).Serve with crusty bread.

SOMETIMES A FARMERS’ MARKET STAND JUST LEAPS UP AT YOU and says, “Make this dish!” At this time of year, that dish often involves peppers. Piled up in gorgeous multicolored heaps, who can resist?

For this recipe, I add chopped up peppers to a few staples from the cupboard—canned cannellini and garbanzo beans, which I stock up on at Whole Foods, plus extra-virgin olive oil and red wine vinegar—and a generous handful of mint. It makes a fall meal full of wake-you-up tastes and crunch. If you like, you can top it off with crumbled feta or goat cheese—adding a salty zest and some extra protein.

Oh, and a loaf of crusty bread and a bottle of crisp Albariño from Spain are always welcome accompaniments.

Core, seed and dice the peppers into ¼-inch pieces and place in a serving bowl big enough to fit all ingredients. Drain and rinse the beans. Zap them for 20 seconds or so in the microwave, ’til just warm, and set aside. In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, vinegar and garlic, and pour over the beans. Let sit for 10 or 15 minutes. Add beans, onion and mint to the peppers, and gently mix. Season with sea salt and pepper, to taste.